Fruit-grading apparatus.



G. 1j. PARKER.

FRUIT GRADING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, '1912, 1,092,664 Patented Apr. 7, 1914,

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Patented Api'. 7, 1914.

' asEEETs-SHBET l2.

All! tm G. D. PARKER.

FRUIT GRADING APPARATUS.

AP?LIGATION FILED DEG. 9, 1912.

" DAml-:R/

FRUT GRADING APPARATUS.

APPLIATION FILED DEG.9,1912.

Patented Apr. 7, 191A 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

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Specification of Leiters tent.

thiiifliiirliiin whii'h hix sortis m' gi'iidis, sind' .iipiiii iiiiisi thvl ulivi-indivi :idjzxi-ciit, thu roi-vividiinp; ihr wnrk of grading hy prnridiiiggf" *auch npuriitnr with :i rniisiiint supply if fruit` to hi. gi'iidvd, whirh him imi iiivn u iiniiiwd hy thu npcriitni iidjiimint ihn www in;t fiid 0l' the @mii/oyen Fin-ther :ind iiripcriaiii. nhjiirts :irc in pmi-- vidi: :in uppfii'iitiis which is siiiiph, in rmislii'iirlioii, iiisy of operation, iindhy the nso of which iin npr 'iiini muy more iihmniighly 'ineen ih@ endian; cuni/Wm' iircmiigiiii ring; drawings, und pointed Giri; iii

pm'iinih, iiiwzie :ind ijiiinm dfinis' of construe n fi my imi? ovini ih@ inclinan diie-f of the iaiidless l. O i

mini-ey@ Mira. ifig. l ii; ii, side eiemiiiqii o,

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viyivrs mid mi@ of whirh i5 ix'ihiceii adjacent @zich grading ziiiy.

tiiw invention ciixisiisi-s iii die@ Referring more particularly to the draw- .ings-the reference numeral l designates horizontal channel suitable vertical supporting timbers or uprights, the extreme upper ends ol' which support a substantially horizontal channel or guideway 2, beneath which in spaced relation thereto is also supported a similar chan` nel or guide 3, and in said channels 2 and 3 is adapted to operate an endless conveyor belt et, which moves in the direction of the arrows-Big 1^, and said belt is supported at its ends by suitable rolls 5 and G, mounted en shafts 'i' and S, which are journaled in bearings 9 and '10, the bearing 9 being rigidly attached to the supporting timbers l at one end of the channels 2 and 3, and the bearing l being adj ustably supported as at l1 in brackets l2, secured to supporting timbers l at the opposite end of the channels 2 and 8. f

The conveyor belt ft is driven in the direction of the arrow-Fig. 1A, 'by an endless chain 13 which extends around a4 sprocket 'llt mounted at one end olathe Shaft 8 and around a corresponding sprocket l arranged at one end of a drive shaft 16, which' carries a drive pulley 17 adapted to receive, its power from any suitable source., It will be observed that by arranging the channels one above the other, and positioning` the supporting rolls between the saine, at opposite endsI thereo't', that the ,endlessbelt eX- tended around said rolls and positioned withk in said channels, will provide anendless conveyer for both. The lruit tro vhe graded, the run of the orchard, is del vered onto the endless conveyor belt 4C in. the channel 2 by an inclined chute 1S preferably arranged above the roll (3.

The side wall ol.Y the channel Q provided at spaced intervals throughout its `length willi openings lt) which communicate with the upper ends ol inclined lateral runways 2O hereinafter termed distributingr trays, the lower ends of which comnnu'iicate with the channel il through openings 20 in the sides thereof, Arranged at the opposite ends of the distributing trays i510, but separated therefrom by the partitions 2l, are open topped wells 32, the lower ends o'lE which are inclined as at 23 and f fon'ununr'ate 'with a 2li, `supported by the uprights l and preferably arranged below the channel 3, and mounted in said channel 9A is a conveyor Q5, `in the 'form ol an endless belt. which is supported at its ends and eX- .tends around suitable rolls 2G and 27, which lare respectively mounted on shafts QS and 29, the shalt 28 being journaled in bearings il() adjustably mounted` as at Ell, on brackets 32, secured to the uj'irights l, and the shaft 2S) is rotatably mounted in journals 33 and is provided ou its cud with a sprocket 34:, which contacts with and is driven in the direction ot' the arrow Fig. 1B by the chain 13.

The quality 0i fruit which is deposited on the conveyor is carried by the movement thereof and discharged therefrom through a chute 35 into any suitable apparatus, such as' a sizer.

The quality of fruit which is passed through the openings 20 into the channel 3 is conveyed by the belt 4 in the direction of the arrow-F ig. 1^, until it strikesI the wall 2&6 extending diagonally across-the channel, in spaced relation above the belt, the Vall directing the fruit from the channel into an inclined chute ST which discharges into any suitable apparatus such as a sizer. Arranged adjacent each distributing tray 2() and extending across the channel' 2 is an inclined runway 3S, one edge of `which is supported by brackets 30 and the vopposite edge of which rests on the outer side edge of the channel 2. The runways are adapted to direct another quality of fruit, other than that quality which is passed through opcn ings 20," and which is deposited into wells 00 onto an endless conveyer 40 in the forni of a belt, which operates in a channel 4l e.\'-

tending parallel with the channel /,a nd said belt extends, at its ends around rolls', l2 and 43, the roll 42 being mounted on adjustable bearings 44, and the roll 43 being carried by the shaft 8. The fruit as it is conveyed by the belt in the direction et' the arrow-413g. 2, is deflected from the belt by a. Wall 45 extending transversely of thechannel, invv spaced relation above the belt, into a chute 46 from which it .is conveyed into any suitable apparatus, such as a sizer.

The mechanism for regulating the flow of fruit from the conveyer 4, through the open-, ings` 19 into the distributing trays 20, is constructed in the following manner: The lower 4solid or floor portion of the channel is interrupted or out away adjacent each opening 19, and inserted in each ot' said interrupted portions is a flexible bottoni or flooring composed ot' a plurality of semi-circular sti-ipse? extending longitudinally of the channel, and connected on their underside' `in any suitable manner, by a piece of flexible material or fabric 4S, one edge of which is secured to the underside of the edge of said channel in any suitable manner, as disclosed in Fig. 7. Positioned below each section ot' flexible flooring is a frame 49, lslidably mounted in guides '50, and secured to the upper surface of each of'said frames is an operating rod 51, of suitable flexible strap ma.- terial downwardly curved at its outer end as at 5t and which extends through a. guide 52 mounted on the underside of the distributing tray 20, and said rodis provide-d onits outer! end with an operating handle 53. It will be :apparent by obs yrving Fig. 4t, that the frameett) when iin its forwardmost position beneatl'jtllxe tlexible iooring 47, maintains the sae in a substantially horizont-a1 lf3 'and the o 'adjusts the aetnanet position, flush with the solid door portion of the channel, and that only the fruit which is at the extreme edge of the belt d will pass through the openings 19, into the trays20. The frame when pushed inwardly away from under the flooring 47as in Fig. 5, allows the same to drop or sag onto the curved portion 51 of the arm 51, which in turn permits that portion of the belt passing over the frame to drop or sag toward the opening 19, which ,will direct a greater amount of inuit into the opening than if the belt were maintained in a horizontal position.

The operation ofthe apparatus is as follows: The .structure being assembled as in the drawings, witli,tlie conveyors operating in the direction of the arrows, and an open tor stationed on the platform adjacent each distributing tray the i'ruit to be graded is deposited on the conveyer el. from the chute erator at each distributing tray rame 49 associated therewith, to permit the flow of the required amount of fruit into each distributing; tray. As the fruit collects in the trays 20, the operators examine the same as to quality, removing the largest and most perfect termed table 'fancy depositing the same on the i nelines 38, which direct it to the conveyor 40, by which it is carried to the chute 46 which discharges it from the apparatus. Another grade of fruit termedA eulls removed 'from the trays 20 and is deposited in the wells 22 onto the belt 9.5,-by which it is ear -ried to athe chute the apparatus. Another quality of AFruit other than. the talole 'fancy and coils is permitted to roll down the incline ot' the tray 20, through the openingf 20 onto the conveyor l, or" the channel 3, and is discharged through the chute El?, this quality is termed choice, Should the fruit to he 4praded enter a tray faster than it can be handled or graded hy the mierator. the operator in char-ge of the tray will slide` the trarne lil under the flexible. flooring' which will maintain the eonveyer in a more horizntal position as it passes the opening;r leading to theV tray, consequently a lesser quantiy of truit`will he direrterl through Athe opening into the tray than il.2 the conveyor is inl-.lined toward the same.

it will he observed 'that a quantity of fruit is directed from the main conveyor into each tray 20, and `that each operator examines only that 'l'ruit in the tray at which he is stationed, and that the supply of fruit Jfrom the main conveyor to the distributing trays is under control ot' the operator.

llavinf;r thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure hy 'liet ters Patei'lt is-- l.' in an ai'iparalus ol' the class described,

the combination with n. runway, r. flexible and discharged froml 2. In an apparatus of the class described,`

and adapted to" the combination of a runway, a flexible eonveyer mounted therein and adapted to be supplied with fruit to be graded, means for operating said conveyor relative to said runway, said runway provided in one of its side Walls with a plurality of spaced openings, a

distributing tray associated with each ot',

said openings and adapted to be supplied with fruit from said conveyor, and flexible means associated with said runway adjacent each of said openings for permitting' said conveyer to incline toward said trays as pro polled past the same.

3. ln an apparatus of the class described, the Combination with a fruit runway, an endless :Flexible conveyor mounted therein and adapted to be supplied with fruit to be graded, a plurality of distri.butingl trays communicating with said conveyor through openings in the side of said runway formed at spaced intervals throughout its length. said trays adapted to be supplied with fruit from said conveyor, flexible means associated with said conveyor for permitting the same toincA ue toward'said trays as propolled past the same, and means for oontrollingr the .inclination of vsaid flexible means. 1

l.. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a fruit guideway provided with plurality of laterullv disposed discharge outlets for the fruit, an endless conveyor for the fruit and workingl in said ,fruideway a distributing tray communicatingwitl, said eonveyer at each ol said fliseharge oull with l'ruit futuri said conveyor, `Ilexibh` means1 for permitting said oonveycr to inclino loward said trays, as it is propelled past the same to regulate the flow of 'fruit from said conveyor ntoieach ol said trays, a plurality of conveyors for receiving the fruit a l'ler the same has been graded, and channels associated with each of said trays and communicatingwith the respective conveyors for reneivinp; and directing the graded fruit onto said ronveyers.

5. in a fruit grading or sorting' apparatus, the combination with :L l'ruit guideway provided in its sido wall al. spaced intervals with a laterally disposed discharge outlet for the iruit, and said guidoway being further provided in its hasn adjacent each discharge outlet with a cutout portion, a flexible endless cnnvever for the fruit wol-lo ets and adaptedtp be supplied Ilm ing in said guideway, said conveyer being substantially horizontal in a plane trans, verse to its line of travel, means for imparting ay longitudinal travel to s aid conveyor, and devices eoperating with each of said cutout portions for varying the inclination laterally of the conveyor adjacent each discharge outlet for regulating the outflow of the fruitthrough the respective discharge outlets.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a conveyer adapted to be supplied with fruit yto be graded, a plurality of distributing trays communicating withl said conveyor lat spaced intervals throughout its lengt-h, a flexible support foin said conveyor `adjacent each of said distributing trays and adapted to be inclined toward said trays, and means for controlling the inclination of said flexible supports.

7. In anapparatus of the cla-ss described, the combination with a conveyer adapted to be supplied with fruit to be graded, a plurality of distributing trays communicating with said conveyer at 4spaced intervalsv throughout its length, a flexible support, tor said conveyor adjacent each of said distributing trays and adapted to be inclined toward said trays, kand Separate means associated with each flexible support for independently controlling the inclination thereof.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flexible endless conveyer adapted to be supplied with fruit to be lgraded, means for operating said convey'er, a plurality of distributing trays conn niunicating with said conveyor at s aced intervals throughout its length, an flexible means for permitting said conveyer to incline toward said trays as it is propelled past the same.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a flexible endless conveyer for receiving fruit to be graded, a plurality of distributing trays communicating with said conveyer at spaced intervals throughout its length and adapted to receive fruit from said conveyer, a plurality or conveyors common to all of said trays for rcceiving the fruit afterA the same has been graded, a discharge for each of said conveyers, means for regulating the i'low of fruit from thetirst mentioned conveyer into said trays, and channels associated with each of said trays and communicating with corresponding conveyors for receiving the graded lruit from said trays and directing the same onto said conveyers.

10. In a fruit grading or sorting apparatus, the combination with a fruit guide way provided with a plurality'of laterally disposed discharge outlets for the fruit, of an endless conveyer for the fruit Working in said guide way, said conveyer being substantially horizontal in aplane transverse to its line "of travel, means for imparting longitudinal travel to said conveyer, and' l1. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a fruit runway having an open section in the bottom thereof inter` mediate the length of the runway, and provided with a transversely disposed iii-uit outlet adjacent said cutout section, a flexible covering for the cutout bottom section of the runway, a transversely slidable support for said flexible covering, a conveyor belt working within the fruit runway, and a distributing tray arranged parallel to the fruit runway and at one side thereof, said tray communicating with the transverse cutout of the said runway. l y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE D. PARKER.

Witnesses: I

S. A. MARKS, W. l. SHEPHERD. 

